Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Spain
Spain: Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 was 53.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Spain, 1960–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Spain recorded 53.7% for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in 2025. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Spain peaked at 53.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 17.7%, in 1960.
Spain ranks 105th of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Spain, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 17.7% | — |
| 1970 | 17.9% | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 27.9% | +55.9% |
| 1978 | 27.7% | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 27.6% | -0.5% |
| 1980 | 27.2% | -1.3% |
| 1981 | 26.8% | -1.4% |
| 1982 | 27.2% | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 27.8% | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 27.7% | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 27.8% | +0.3% |
| 1986 | 27.7% | -0.5% |
| 1987 | 30.3% | +9.5% |
| 1988 | 31.7% | +4.8% |
| 1989 | 32.0% | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 32.6% | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 32.6% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 34.6% | +6.1% |
| 1993 | 35.1% | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 36.3% | +3.5% |
| 1995 | 36.8% | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 37.3% | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 38.1% | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 38.4% | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 39.1% | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 40.7% | +4.0% |
| 2001 | 39.6% | -2.8% |
| 2002 | 42.1% | +6.5% |
| 2003 | 43.6% | +3.5% |
| 2004 | 45.0% | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 46.5% | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 47.9% | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 49.0% | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 50.3% | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 51.5% | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 52.2% | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 52.8% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 53.5% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 53.4% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 53.1% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 53.1% | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 53.0% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 52.6% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 52.4% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 52.7% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 51.6% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 52.7% | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 52.8% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 53.4% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 53.3% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 53.7% | +0.8% |
Spain compared with similar countries
- Spain's 53.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 57.2%, 94% of the median. (79 countries reporting)
- Spain's 53.7% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 56.9%, 94% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Spain changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | +55.9% | 17.9% | 27.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 17.7% | 17.7% | 17.7% | 1 |
| 1970s | 25.2% | 17.9% | 27.9% | 4 |
| 1980s | 28.6% | 26.8% | 32.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 36.1% | 32.6% | 39.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 45.6% | 39.6% | 51.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 52.9% | 52.2% | 53.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 52.9% | 51.6% | 53.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Spain
More work & labour data for Spain
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.527 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.5576 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.4982 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.05 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.1207 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 39,073 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 5,322 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 17,076 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 16,051 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 33,128 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Spain?
- Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Spain was 53.7% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 53.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.7% in 1960.
- How does Spain rank for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025?
- Spain ranks 105th out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Spain data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the female working-age population who are economically active (employed or unemployed). Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.